Top Ten Reasons to Do Something Creative

It’s no secret that I love creative endeavors. I sew, I cook, I paint, I write, and I enjoy myriad other projects. To me, creating in any form is as vital as breathing! This creative force is my source of energy. It is also the impetus for this post.

If you recall, I recently mentioned my trouble sleeping. I have no trouble falling asleep, but I wake during the night (usually around 4 a.m.) with enthusiasm for some project or another. I often lay awake, planning my course of action, but sometimes I simply want to roll over and go back to sleep. Not being able to do that the other day led me to move to our guest room. I crawled into the bed and promptly fell asleep for several hours. It seemed I dreamt the entire time, but I woke more refreshed than I have been in months.

Our guest room is a wonderful place. More specifically, our guest bed is wonderful. It is a family heirloom and over the years, every single person who has slept in it remarks how rested they felt, but “had the most vivid dreams ever”! This prompted me to write a short story years ago. I promised to share that story through my blog (follow this link to read Destiny Inn). That promise led me to consider why I wanted to share my story, and the conclusion was so I may talk to you about creativity and also show you that something doesn’t have to be great in order to allow personal expression.

I often hear people lament their inability to create and that is total BS! Each of us has the ability to create something. Perhaps you think all this attention to creative pursuits is a waste of time or superficial. I’d like to share the Top Ten Reasons to Do Something Creative, and perhaps you’ll change your mind!

The Top Ten Reasons to Do Something Creative

Creativity literally changes the world.

Each day new products, new processes, and new thinking change the world we live in. Even if you believe your creative approach is on a small-scale or local level, it is changing the way the world operates in some way.

To take respite from the demands of daily life.

The realities of our lives–careers, families, finances, illness, and the like–can suck the life from us. Recharge by doing something creative and non-demanding. Don’t do something you have to struggle at or are looking for perfection in. Relax. Pick up a notepad and doodle, grab a children’s coloring book and color, make a favorite meal or make a collage of the birds in your backyard. It doesn’t have to be a project worthy of a museum, just something fun and engaging.To inspire someone else through your creativity.

I do some things expertly and other things less skillfully. However, regardless what I do and at what skill level, I share it with others. Often my attempts are the impetus for someone else to create something similar. It’s great when someone feels if she can do it, I can too!

To create a legacy.

Not to be morbid, but one day we all leave this planet. What will you leave behind, even for a brief time? Mozart left us his music, Franklin left us with his inventions, Yates left us his writing, and Socrates his wisdom. We might not leave as great a legacy, but we can leave something of ourselves. My writing, my favorite recipes, my various craft projects and my creative perspective are all part of the legacy I will leave for my children. I hope to create things of greater importance to leave my community and the world. Will you create the next hot gadget? Will you write your children a story of your life? Will you paint a great piece of art? Find some way to leave a bit of yourself for future generations.To share a gift from your heart with another.

Time is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another. The time and effort you take to create something by your own hand to give to another is more than a token, it’s more than a trinket, it is a gift from your heart and will be cherished.Because focusing your efforts creatively will help bring clarity to other areas of your life.

If you’re stuck on a problem the fastest way to an answer is to forget about it for a while. Immerse yourself in something creative, let all your attention be on what you’re doing at the moment. Something as simple as grabbing a block of clay and playing with it will shift your focus. Feel the weight and texture in your hand. Make a ball, smash it. Make a snake, coil it. Make a pancake and peel it off the table. Isn’t it cathartic? Allow yourself some fun creative time and create some distance from your problem. When you revisit the problem, it will be from a different perspective.To reconnect with the child within.

What did you love doing as a child? I used to make mud pies; now I love baking. I used to paint clothes (oh yes I did!) and now I love painting and sewing clothes. I used to play house non-stop; now I have my own decorating business. These are the things that brought me joy as a child and embracing them in my adult life still brings me great pleasure. If you’re being too adult, reconnect with what you loved doing as a child and life will be far more enjoyable!To find a new way to express your thoughts, feelings, emotions, beliefs.

We all have a story to tell about who we are, what we feel, what we see, and what we believe. Some can do that through words, but others may struggle. Take a different approach and share your story in another medium.For the satisfaction in doing something novel.

I’m not a daring adrenaline junkie, but I do enjoy new experiences, at my own level. I find satisfaction trying something new.Even though things sometimes don’t turn out very well, I can still say “I did it!” Break out of your shell and try something novel!For the pure joy of it!

Most of what I create is for the pure joy I find in the act of creating. It expands my spirit, it lets me find my unique way of expression, it tests my abilities…in short, it makes me feel alive! If you want to bring joy back into your life, engage in creativity, no matter what form it takes. Allowing your creative spark to grow into a wildfire will bring a wellspring of energy into your life!